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Rep. Raul Labrador Will Challenge Kevin McCarthy for GOP Leader
National Journal ^ | 06/13/2014 | Tim Alberta

Posted on 06/13/2014 1:24:18 PM PDT by SeekAndFind

Rep. Raul Labrador, a fiery conservative lawmaker from Idaho, will challenge House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy in next Thursday's special election to replace Eric Cantor as majority leader, according to Republican sources.

"I want a House Leadership team that reflects the best of our conference," Labrador said in a statement provided to National Journal. He later added: "I am running for Majority Leader because I want to help create a vision of growth and opportunity for everyone and start getting to work for the American people."

A sophomore representative from a heavily Republican district, Labrador's election would dramatically alter the dynamic atop the House GOP. The former immigration attorney is Hispanic and bilingual, and would add diversity to an all-white leadership team. Labrador is also a member of the enormous 2010 class, the members of which pushed the GOP into the majority—but have felt largely unrepresented since.

"I was stunned when Eric Cantor lost his primary election earlier this week," Labrador said. "Eric is a good friend and I have tremendous respect for him. But the message from Tuesday is clear—Americans are looking for a change in the status quo."

Labrador, however, enters the race as a decided underdog, as McCarthy and his seasoned vote-counting operation have been working around the clock since Wednesday securing commitments from members of the House GOP.

It's unclear, in fact, whether Labrador actually thinks he can win.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationaljournal.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Constitution/Conservatism; Government; Politics/Elections; US: Idaho
KEYWORDS: congress; gop; kevinmccarthy; labrador; raullabrador
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To: SeekAndFind

“He received a B.A. in Spanish with an emphasis in Latin American literature ...”

Latin American literature must lose something in the translation. If 100 Years of Solitude is a watershed moment, the watershed is more like a water closet.

He’s better than McCarthy, and probably enough to the right to scare off any other challengers. How convenient for the Empire. A little too convenient. I heard him on Levin. He sounds like the typical GOPer who wants to be on the fiscally responsible right wing of the Progressive movement.


41 posted on 06/13/2014 7:00:04 PM PDT by cdcdawg (Be seeing you...)
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To: cdcdawg

Yep—has there been any actually conservative immigration attorney in the last 50 years?


42 posted on 06/13/2014 7:18:47 PM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: 9YearLurker
Yep—has there been any actually conservative immigration attorney in the last 50 years?

Don't know about that. But Labrador was part of a Group of 8 in the House that was working on immigration bill at the same time as the Senate's Group of 8 (Rubio, Schumer, McCain, et al).

And, when the House Group of 8 insisted on amnesty being in their bill, Labrador walked away. And made a racket about it.

As a consequence, he pretty much killed any movement toward amnesty in a House bill.

43 posted on 06/13/2014 7:23:54 PM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: Ignorance on parade.)
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To: 9YearLurker

“Yep—has there been any actually conservative immigration attorney in the last 50 years?”

Yes, he was last seen riding a chupacabra across Area 51.


44 posted on 06/13/2014 7:25:27 PM PDT by cdcdawg (Be seeing you...)
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To: SeekAndFind

“The other 11 million undocumented, he says, should be legalized, but not necessarily be given a path to citizenship.”

OH yeah, for about five minutes and a liberal judge. Bullshit position.


45 posted on 06/13/2014 8:06:04 PM PDT by headstamp 2 (What would Scooby do?)
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To: Graewoulf

on Hannity Raul sounded absolutely presidential....I’ve donated to his campaign since he’s right across the border....


46 posted on 06/13/2014 8:48:14 PM PDT by cherry
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To: SeekAndFind

I have corresponded with Labrador. He is not a political insider or a GOP elite. He is a strong conservative, though there are some things I disagree with him on.

He is an honest, decent man, who loves this country. I would far rather see him as the Majority Leader than McCarthy.


47 posted on 06/13/2014 9:16:22 PM PDT by Jeff Head
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To: Jeff Head

Labrador does sound heckuva better than McCarthy.


48 posted on 06/13/2014 10:30:28 PM PDT by entropy12 (Obummer = worst president ever, thanks to voters who abstained on election day!)
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To: SeekAndFind

The praise for Labrador from numerous conservatives puzzles me. He’s more pro-amnesty than Cantor.


49 posted on 06/13/2014 11:36:44 PM PDT by eater-of-toast ("It is much more important to kill bad bills than to pass good ones." --Calvin Coolidge)
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To: eater-of-toast
[Labrador's] more pro-amnesty than Cantor.

Then, why did he publicly walk away from a House Group of 8 who were trying to do the same thing that the Senate Group of 8 did -- i.e., write a "comprehensive immigration reform" bill that included amnesty?

He walked out because they were insisting upon amnesty...

50 posted on 06/13/2014 11:40:42 PM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: Ignorance on parade.)
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To: okie01

No, that’s not why he walked away. He walked away because he was getting heat for his role in it. The excuse he used to walk away was a disagreement about a healthcare payment detail.

But he’s pro-amnesty through and through.

Why can’t Freepers realize that amnesty will end any conservative majority in this country and turn us into a Latin American,third-world, Leftist voting entity?


51 posted on 06/14/2014 1:07:26 AM PDT by 9YearLurker
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To: 9YearLurker
Why can’t Freepers realize that amnesty will end any conservative majority in this country and turn us into a Latin American,third-world, Leftist voting entity?

I believe FReepers definitely realize that.

It's Republicans who are being obtuse about it.

52 posted on 06/14/2014 1:57:46 AM PDT by okie01 (The Mainstream Media: Ignorance on parade.)
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To: okie01

He left because Luis Gutierrez wanted Obamacare for illegals.

Id support Labrador or Pete Sessions even if they are not good choices.

Labrador also has to deal with primaries every 2 years. McCarthy’s district is perfect for a RINO. He will never drop out of the top 2 in an open primary.


53 posted on 06/14/2014 2:14:19 AM PDT by ObamahatesPACoal
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To: 9YearLurker

It will be easier to stop or slow down an amnesty bill in 2015 with more Senate Republicans and more amendments being offered. The situation with the surge across the border will get worse.
McCarthy will put an amnesty bill on the floor next week.

Devin Nunes and probably the others who want an amnesty bill ASAP would back McCarthy.


54 posted on 06/14/2014 2:17:16 AM PDT by ObamahatesPACoal
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To: NormsRevenge

Yeah Louie is awesome!


55 posted on 06/14/2014 4:39:22 AM PDT by b4its2late (A Progressive is a person who will give away everything he doesn't own.)
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To: b4its2late

Labrador is my congressman and votes for conservative values.
My husband and I are thrilled that he is taking up the challenge and wish him well. Mark Levin had him on his show yesterday and was quite impressed with him.

Go Raul!!!


56 posted on 06/14/2014 6:53:06 AM PDT by matchgirl (An Ambassador is dead and Al Qaeda is alive.)
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To: SeekAndFind
Raul Labrador had a ACU rating of 100 for 2013 (96 for 2012). Hard to find Labrador but do a ctl+f search for Labrador in the pdf foc and when you find the page is on it's side.

ACU Ratings of Congress
57 posted on 06/14/2014 8:50:13 AM PDT by Cheerio (Barry Hussein Soetoro-0bama=The Complete Destruction of American Capitalism)
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To: Cheerio

The ACU is part of the open borders crowd, is it not?


58 posted on 06/14/2014 8:54:05 AM PDT by jjotto ("Ya could look it up!")
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To: b4its2late
Gohmert & Gowdy..why oh why can't one of them step up and run for the position...or someone else truly Conservative who believes in securing the borders, and following the immigration laws we now have on the books?
59 posted on 06/14/2014 9:53:45 AM PDT by itssme
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To: SeekAndFind; All

I hope Labrador can retrieve this position. :)


60 posted on 06/14/2014 10:21:28 AM PDT by EveningStar
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